Apparatus for the treatment of ore



Aug- 2, 1932- J. F. TAPlE APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ORE OriginalFiled Sept. 2. 1931 WHTEIR 1 11 I I1 I i 1 1 l 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 w H W71 111 1 11 1111 11 1 1 I// x1 1 7 1 l 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 111 1 u 1 1 1 11 11 1 11 11 1 1 1 11 3 1 1 101 1 1 2 1 x1 1 1111 111 11 1 1 11 111 11 1 1 11111 1 111 1 11 a 1 111 1 u l 11 1 11 1 1 11 1 111" 1 1 1H1 0 1 1 3 1 1 11 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 nM 1 11 3 1 I 1111 1 10 /11 0 l 1 111 1 1 1 1 11 11 1 1 11 1 L 1 11 1 1 11 1 1 11 111 11 u 1 1/ 1/ 1 1 1 R z 1 1 /0 1////1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 11 11/ 1 1 1 11 n1 H 1 11 1 11 #11 n 1 111 11 111 1 1/ 1 /1 11 1 11 1 1 11/ 11 J 1 11 1 111 11 1111 1111 1111 1 1111111 1 1 11 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 M 1 1 11 1 11 11 111 1 11 7111 11 11 1 11 11 11 //1 1 0 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 711 11 1 111/ 7 1 1 1 1 111 11 11 EDMPRES SUE Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFFica 7 JOSEPH F. TAIEIE, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE FISKE HAMMOND, OF SANTA BARBARA,CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ORE Original application filed September2, 1931, Serial No. 560,858. Divided and this application filed January5, 1932 Serial No. 584,820.

My invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment of ore andsimilar material.

The present application is a division of my application for a processfor the treatment of ore, Serial No. 560,858, filed Septemblown by meansof heated air against an interior wall of an externally heated retort.

The particles of the chlorinated ore will be scattered, and subjected tothe radiant heat from the walls of the retort, the heat of the retortbeing maintained at such a degree that the particular metal chlorideunder treat ment, such for instance as silver chloride, will bevolatilized and the metal chloride vapors conducted to a precipitating.chamber where the vapors are cooled and treated with water and theprecipitated chlorides are then reduced to metal in any preferredmanner. The chlorinated ore is then passed from the retort downwardlyinto a waste ore chamber where it is sprayed with water to recover anychloride values which may have escaped volatilization; and the metalchlorides leached out of the waste ore are conducted to a secondaryprecipitating chamber.

WVhere the ore contains several metals, the process may be carried outin such a manner as to subject the ore several times to the treatment,each treatment having a degree of temperature corresponding tothevolatilization point of the particular metal chloride in question sothat in this manner the several metal values may be recoveredsuccessively if desired. I

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention consists'in the combination andarrangement of parts of the apparatus hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which form a part of this specification, Ihave illustrated the preferred embodiment of my in i vention, and. inwhich: V

vFig. 1 is a vertical cross section, partly" in diagram of such anapparatus.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

A vertical retort 1', preferably cylindrical in shape and lined withrefractory material,

is provided at its top with a vapor outlet 2 leading to a primaryprecipitator 3 which is from the bottom of the retort is a valved wasteore outlet 5 leading into a waste ore chamber 6, provided at its'lowerend with a sump 7 and waste ore outlet 8. The retort 1 is installed in asuitablebrick work 9 and surrounded with a; heating-chamber 10 suppliedwith fuel by means of a fuel pipe'lland air conduit12. 10 maybe providedwith baffle plates so as The heating chamber to cause the hot'gasestocirculate about the I retort 1 in a helical path until they passthrough the chimney 13.

14: is an ore hopper provided witha valve 1 5'thr0ugh whichthe ore isfed into a re action chamber 16. There is preferably an reaction chamberinto the retort 1 by means of a nozzle 22 having a helical passage, thenozzle being connected to an air pipe 23 which is supplied with heatedair-under pressure. While the air may be heated by any preferredmeans,oI have shown the air pipe 23 disposed in the heating chamber 10;24 being an air oompressor'maintaining a constant pressure in the pipe23. The reaction chamber 16 isin communication with a cone shaped oreinlet port 25 preferably centrally disposed in the retort 1 so that 00provided with a valve outlet 4. Leading.

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the chlorinated ore will be thrown with considerable force against theinterior wall of the retort 1.

The principal precipitator 8 is provided with a water supply pipe 26terminating in a spray nozzle 27'. From the upper end of the principalprecipitator 3 a pipe 28 leads to a secondary precipitator 29 providedwith a valve air and gas outlet 30 and a valve liquid outlet 31. A vaporpipe 32 leads from the upper part of waste ore chamber 6 to thesecondary precipitator 29 and a: liquid pipe 33 leads from the sump 7 tothe pipe. 82. Operati0n.The ore is crushed. to a suitable fineness, suchas i0 mesh or finer, and is fed. from the hopper 14 into the reactionchamber 16 where it is moistened with. water issuing from the nozzles18. The ore is blown from the reaction chamber 16 by means of the airnozzle 22 through the ore port 25 against the interior wall of theretort opposite the ore inlet port. On. its passage it comes in contactwith a stream of chlorine gas which is introduced at 21 into thereaction chamber. I find that chlorination is greatly facilitated byfirst moistening, the ore and subsequently contacting the same withchlorine gas in place of using hydrochloric acid. for the reason that anumber of chlorine compounds are formed with the water which actenergetically upon the ore to form metal chlorides. The amount of waterand chlorine will vary depending upon the richness of the ore but willgenerally run from 1 to. t gallons of water and 1/7 to 3/7 of a pound.of chlorine gas per ton of ore. under treatment. In order to subject thechlorinated ore instantly to a. temperature which will volatilize. themetal chloride, I preheat the air which issues from the nozzle 32..Preheating may be from 675 to 2500 degrees F. depending upon the natureof the metal of the ore. It will be understood by those skilled in theart that such temperatures Will be maintained in. the reaction chamber16 which will give themost. favorable results in. the chlorination 0tthe ore and that the retort will be heated to such a temperature thatthe ore as it strikes the interior of the wall of the retort 1 andduring the short time that it is dispersed and falling through theheating zone within the retort, the metal chloride will volatilize, atleast the greater part thereof, and pass off in vapor form. through thepipe 2 and into the principal precipitator 3 where in coming in. contactwith the sprayed water issuing from. the nozzle 27 the chlorides will beprecipitated and the chloride solution will be taken. off through theoutlet 4 for any suitable or preferred treatment to recover themetal. It

will be understood that in addition to the vapors; steam and dust willbe carried along with the chloride vapors which will likewise beprecipitated and removed through the principal precipitator 3. Theincondensable portions and some of the dust will be carried through pipe28 to the secondary precipitator 29.

The ore is not allowed to accumulate to any great extent in the retort,but is maintained in a volume not to exceed about one- SlXtll of thevolume of the retort. The ore is continuously fed through the retort andand downwardly through the valved outlet 5 into the waste ore chamber 6,where it is sprayed with water through the nozzle 20. Such constituentsas are soluble in the ore will pass into solution and will be conveyedfrom tne sump 7 to the pipe 83 and to the secondary precipitator 29which is also in communication through pipe 32 with the upper part ofthe waste ore chamber 6 to recover any values from the vapors generatedin the waste ore chamber 6.

When an ore having metals, such as lead,

silver and gold, is to be treated, the temperature conditions may bemaintained in such a manner that the lead chloride, silver chloride,and. gold chloride, may pass at once in vapor form from the retort tothe precipitatcrs or, it is desirable to keep the metals separate, theore may be subjected to suecessive treatments through the apparatus,

first at a lower temperature suflicient to volatilize the lead.chloride, then the silver chloride, and the gold chloride.

lVhile the apparatus is primarily intended. for the chlorination ofore,it will be understood' that it may also be used for desulbercommunicating with the retort, a reaction chamber, means for feeding oreto the reaction chamber, means for moistening the ore with water in thereaction chamber, means for contacting the moistened ore with chlorine,and means for feeding the chlorinated ore into the retort.

2. An apparatus for the treatment of ore comprising an externally heatedretort, a lateral. ore supply port leading into the retort, aprecipitating chamber communicating with the retort, a reaction chamber,means for feeding ore to the reaction chamber, means for moistening theore with. water in the reaction chamber, means for contacting themoistened ore with chlorine, and means for projecting the chlorinatedore through the lateral port against an interior wall of the retort.

3. An apparatus for the treatment of ore comprising an externally heatedretort, a latin? arm) eral ore supply port leading into the retort, aprecipitating chamber communicating with the retort, a reaction chamber,means for feeding ore to the reaction chamber, means for moistening theore with water in the reaction chamber, means for contacting themoistened ore with chlorine, and means for blowing heated air throughthe reaction chamber to project the chlorinated ore through the oresupply port against an internal wall of the retort.

4. An apparatus for the treatment of ore comprising an externally heatedretort, a cone shaped lateral ore supply portleading into the retort, achloride precipitating chamber communicating with the retort, a wasteore chamber below the retort, a valve-controlled waste ore outletleading from the retort to.

the waste ore chamber, a reaction chamber, means for feeding crushed oreto the reaction chamber, means for moistening the ore with water in thereaction chamber, means for contacting the moistened ore with chlorine,means forblowing heated air through the reaction chamber to project theore through the ore supply port against an internal wall of the retort,and means for leaching the ore in the waste ore chamber.

5. An apparatus for the treatment of ore comprising an externally heatedretort, a cone shaped lateral ore supply port leading into the retort, achloride precipitating chamber communicating with the retort, a wasteore chamber below the retort, a valve controlled waste ore outletleading from the retort to the waste ore chamber, a reaction chamber,means for feeding crushed ore to the reaction chamber, means formoistening the ore with water in the reaction chamber, means forcontacting the moistened ore with chlorine, means for blowing heated airthrough the reaction chamber to project the ore through the ore supplyport against an internal wall of the retort, means for leaching the orein the waste ore chamber, a second precipitator and vapor andliquid'conduits leading from the waste ore chamber to the secondprecipitator.

6. An apparatus for the treatment of ore comprising an externally heatedretort, a lateral ore supply port leading into the retort, aprecipitating chamber communicating with the retort, a reaction chamber,means for feeding crushed ore to the reaction chamber, means forcontacting the ore in the reaction chamber with a chemical agent to forma chemical compound with the metal in the ore, and means for projectingthe ore through the port against the internal wall of the retort.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH F. TAPIE.

